This paper cutout (card stock) model of Dover Castle Keep which is described as the 'Key to England' because of its strategic and defensive importance, Dover Castle is built on the site of fortified earthworks, dating back to the Iron Age or earlier. After the Roman invasion in AD43, Dover was developed as a port, constructing a lighthouse around 50AD which still survives today.

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One of the largest castles in the country, strategically located at the shortest crossing point to continental Europe, Dover Castle has played a prominent part in national history. Its origins lie in the Iron Age, and a Roman Lighthouse and Anglo-Saxon church can still be seen within the grounds. William of Normandy strengthened existing Anglo-Saxon fortifications in 1066, but it was Henry II who set the blueprint for today's castle when he had the fortifications rebuilt in the 1180's, adding the massive keep and a series of concentric defences. Over the centuries, the defences were continually enlarged and improved, with the castle retaining a military role into the mid twentieth century. An underground hospital and the command centre used for the Dunkirk evacuation are a legacy from the Second World War.

Dover is one of the most famous castles in the world. It is central to English history, withstanding a number of sieges. The site was used for a Roman lighthouse (still standing) and then a Saxon fort. William the Conqueror took Dover and began construction of the keep shortly after the Battle of Hastings. During WWII the caves under the castle served as the strategic air command. These plans can be printed onto card stock, cut out, and assembled. The castle can be painted with grey primer, textured spray paint, and then more primer (care must be taken not to spray on too much paint, which can make the cardstock wet).